Cablegate: Turkey: Third Avian Influenza Outbreak in Just Over Two

VZCZCXRO0894
RR RUEHHM RUEHLN RUEHMA RUEHPB RUEHPOD
DE RUEHAK #0214 0371540
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061540Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5145
INFO RUEHRC/USDA FAS WASHDC
RUEHVI/AMEMBASSY VIENNA 1690
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 6700
RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 2674
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 3845
RUEUITH/ODC ANKARA TU
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHPH/CDC ATLANTA GA
RUEAUSA/DEPT OF HHS WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1580
RUEHZN/EST COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS ANKARA 000214

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR STUDZINSKI AND LANGE
USAID FOR TROSTLE, BLANCHET AND CARROLL
HHS FOR WSTEIGER/PBUDASHEWITZ
FAS FOR OCRA; OSTA
FAS PASS FSIS AND APHIS
VIENNA FOR APHIS
BRUSSELS FOR APHIS/FERNANDEZ
GENEVA FOR HEALTH ATTACHE
ROME FOR US MISSION TO FAO

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KFLU ETRD EAGR KPAO TBIO AMED CASC EAID SENV TU
SUBJECT: TURKEY: THIRD AVIAN INFLUENZA OUTBREAK IN JUST OVER TWO
WEEKS

REF: ANKARA 202 AND PREVIOUS

1. On February 6, the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture (MARA)
confirmed a third outbreak of Avian Influenza in just over two
weeks. This one is in Sakarya province, 125 kilometers east of
Istanbul. MARA officials stated that on February 4 suspicious
birds were tested. The test results showed that the birds died of
the H5N1 strain of the AI virus. As a result, MARA culled 1905
poultry in Sakarya Province and 1315 poultry in neighboring Kocaeli
province. Quarantine measures have also been implemented.

2. Comment: MARA seems to be taking all necessary measures,
including releasing timely press reports. That the villagers
apparently have immediately notified MARA of dead birds is evidence
that MARAQs public education campaign has been effective.

Wilson

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